Cinerevolt: The Borders of Paradise

*Doors Open 20:00. Film starts at 20:30*

The Borders of Paradise (2024) by  Nicolas Romero Silva

At the border of Italy and the French Riviera the French police and Italian State create a humanitarian hotspot through physical violence, illegal pushbacks, and negligence of young people on the move.

In the town of Ventimiglia (at the French-Italian border) we meet the young men who have fled genocide, violent militias, destitution, and have risked their lives crossing the sea to reach the perceived safety of Europe. However, once in Italy they are faced with what one young man calls a “slow death”. Unable to gain the foothold of basic social services, many asylum seekers end up in Ventimiglia. For those who wish to try their luck in another European country awaits a difficult border crossing, often thwarted by the violent and extra-judicial pushbacks by the French police. Others try more dangerous means, such as the ‘pass of death’ through the mountains, in the backs of trucks, or the roofs of trains.

Caught between the agonizing wait for help in Italy and the hope of a better life on the other side of a fortified border, The Borders of Paradise is a detailed portrait of the psychological toll which neglectful European policy has on the young men who arrive on its shores. Incorporating multiple face-to-face conversations about the why and how of their migration, this film seeks to make heard the voices of those most dehumanized in the European political landscape.

The Borders of Paradise is the first documentary film by Nicolás Romero Silva. To organize a screening or learn more about the project visit 20milesmore.org.